Arsenal's Declan Rice celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal against Newcastle United in a Premier League match at the Emirates Stadium in London, England, May 18, 2025. /VCG
Arsenal's Declan Rice celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal against Newcastle United in a Premier League match at the Emirates Stadium in London, England, May 18, 2025. /VCG
Arsenal booked their place in next season's UEFA Champions League, as Declan Rice's thunderbolt sealed a 1-0 win against top-five Premier League rivals Newcastle on Sunday.
Rice's brilliant second-half strike at the Emirates Stadium guaranteed Arsenal will compete in Europe's elite club competition next season.
Mikel Arteta's side ended a five-game winless streak to avoid a nervous last day of the season next weekend, with the battle for top-five places no longer a concern for the Gunners.
Second-placed Arsenal are likely to finish as Premier League runners-up for a third successive season, after failing to keep pace with champions Liverpool.
The north Londoners, who lost in the Champions League semifinals against Paris Saint-Germain, have now gone five years without a trophy.
Despite another season of frustration for Arsenal, they still look to be the most likely challengers for Liverpool's crown next term.
In a pointed message to Arsenal's transfer chiefs after their failure to sign a striker in January, Arteta said: "Finish the season, go to the beach, and make sure the ones upstairs do what they have to do. Our dream needs to not get blurry. What we have done to sustain the level this season with everything that has happened (with injuries) is incredible."
Newcastle sit in third place, above Chelsea and Aston Villa on goal difference.
Sixth-placed Manchester City can rise to third if they avoid defeat in their game-in-hand at home against Bournemouth on Tuesday.
Nottingham Forest, currently seventh, are just one point behind League Cup winners Newcastle in a remarkably close race to reach the Champions League.
Newcastle will need to beat Everton at St James' Park in their last match of the season on May 25 to seal qualification.
Source(s): AFP